If we compared the pitching delivery of a power pitcher to a high powered riffle then the force vector would be the barrel and triple extension would be the trigger. Without either one, your high powered riffle is junk. It also doesn’t matter how much gun powder is in the gun, without the barrel or the trigger, it is useless.

Most young pitchers have very poor stride power because they do not achieve triple extension in their strides. This component along with the gun powder, which is our muscles, produce power in our strides. Without this component and poor leg and core strength, our power production is limited.

What is the Force Vector?

This is the angle of the ankle to knee. Starting in the drive leg, this is the direction that force is being produce. If the ankle to knee is vertical then the force will be produced in a vertical direction. Because the stride moves in a linear direction, towards the target, a pitcher can not produce force or power in the stride until the force vector is linear. The force vector is also important in the landing leg. When the landing leg stabilizes and produces force back into the hips, the force vector must also be angled in a linear direction instead of a vertical direction.

Why is the Force Vector so important to increase velocity?

The National Pitching Association in their 2005-2006 Velocity Study here, proved that 80% of a pitchers velocity is based on the degrees of separation between the hips and shoulders at front foot strike. The 3X pitching approach has proven that triple extension before front foot strike, along with triple flexion of the landing leg at front foot strike, is what enhances this hip to shoulder separation. Therefore the force vector must be in a linear direction for triple extension to occur in the drive leg and optimal stabilization to occur in the landing leg.

How to Implement the Force Vector into the Pitching Delivery?

Most young pitchers struggle with this critical component. Their force vector stays too vertical through their strides. The reason for this is the lack of power and mobility. Power and mobility is pretty much a catch 22. You cannot have mobility without power but you can have power without mobility and to have a linear force vector in your drive leg during your stride, takes both power and mobility to implement.

The best way to improving your force vector you must first start with building a base level of strength through the entire body and then start enhancing power production by introducing speed and power movements. Once you have developed some explosive power which can be measured in a vertical jump then you want to start training this power through full range of motion to enhance mobility. This must be done with both a throwing program and a strength and conditioning program. This is the foundation of the 3X Pitching Velocity program. This is why this off-season program is so effective in increasing velocity. If you are serious about your pitching career and you want to develop an explosive stride to help increase velocity and prevent arm injury then you must start this 16 week program today.

For more information of the 3X Pitching Velocity program continue visit the home page.

25 college age volunteers were randomly assigned to groups performing either resistance training or static stretching. A 12 person control group remained inactive. All were pre-tested on hamstring extension, hip flexion and extension, and shoulder extension flexibility, as well as peak torque of quadriceps and hamstring muscles. The resistance training and stretching programs focused on the same muscle-joint complexes over similar movements and ranges. Post-tests measured flexibility and strength.

The results - which may surprise advocates of stretching to improve flexibility- showed no statistically significant advantage of stretching over resistance training. Resistance training, in fact, produced greater improvements in flexibility in some cases, while also improving strength. Whitehead emphasized that this was a preliminary study involving a small sample size and called for carefully designed research with more participants to confirm or disprove the results.

It is hard to believe that this is the only study that I could find online that had anything to do with testing the conventional wisdom of weight training and flexibility. I first discovered that the belief of weight training limiting flexibility as being completely false when I first trained with the Olympic Lifters. I have posted a video of Coach Gayle Hatch who I have been mentored by and Matt Bruce who I have watched in “AWE” many times move weight like a beast when he looks like a little boy. Watch the USA Olympian Matt Bruce perform the back squat. He is moving around 250lbs in the video like it is nothing. His hip rotation and hip mobility is unbelievable. When I first witnessed this I said to myself, how can someone like Matt, who looks like a boy, have this kind of joint flexibility and clean and jerk over his head, over 400lbs? This blew my mind! I then ask myself why do pitchers not train like this?

This study above and the flexibility of these Olympic Lifters is proof that weight training does not reduce joint flexibility or mobility. This is because they train with weight moving through a full range of motion. Before I started lifting with the Olympic lifts in my pitching career, I was underdeveloped and my flexibility was horrible. I couldn’t even touch my toes. After my first year of training my flexibility was unbelievable. I could not only touch my toes but I could kick my leg over my head. I believe this type of flexibility is far superior for the athlete than the type of flexibility developed through static stretching. Not only is this statement proven true in the above study but the science behind this theory makes perfect sense.

Functional Flexibility

Functional flexibility is a phrase that is used sometimes to define flexibility that is developed through dynamic or athletic movements. This means that the flexibility or mobility of the joint is built around the strength through a full range of motion. The opposite would be flexibility developed through static stretching which more than likely will develop flexibility in the joint without the strength. This may create a flexible athlete but it will not be functional because there is not enough strength through the entire range of motion. This type of mobility or flexibility is useless to the athlete. This is why a weight training program that trains the athlete through a full range of motion with resistance, is building a stronger and more flexible athlete. This doesn’t mean all you need to do is lift weights with a full range of motion because the range of motion must not push outside of the overall technique of the lifts. Sometimes training through a full range of motion can injury the athlete, so you must make sure that the technique of the lift is pr0moting a full range of motion and if it is not then you need to incorporate other exercises or lifts to cover the full range of motion for that specific joint, if necessary.

The purpose of this article was not to tell you that you need to use a full range of motion when lifting. It is to open a pitchers eyes to weight training as a means to not only developing strength but developing flexibility. You need to watch the instructional videos here to see how Olympic Lifting promotes joint mobility and you also need to get on a athlete/pitcher sport specific training program like the Fusion System in the 3X Pitching Velocity program to help you develop optimal strength and flexibility.

The main focus of an in season training program should be recovery. The goal is to maintain strength throughout the season. If you are a pitcher who is throwing a lot of innings then strength gains in season should not be a focus. If you are a pitcher who is not throwing a lot of innings in season then strength gains can be more of a focus. This means you should base your in season training program on your in season workload.

To help you find a good in season training program follow these simple guidelines.

In Season Training Guidelines for Pitchers

1. Sleep, Sleep, Sleep – Sleep is critical for recovery. This is the only way that your body is going to catch up with your workload. If you loss sleep in season you will definitely loss your strength.
2. Eat, Eat, Eat – This is almost as critical as sleep. If you do not fuel your body with the building blocks it needs to rebuild your system then you will definitely loss your strength and open yourself up to injury.
3. Joint Integrity – Pitching strengthens one set of muscles while it abuses another. This means that if you do not re-establish the integrity of your joints after a performance then you are slowly setting yourself up for injury. You will first notice the loss of integrity when you begin to loss range of motion. This loss of range of motion in a joint, if pitched on, will lead to injury. A good in season training program should help re-establish joint integrity.
4. Endocrine System – Your body uses growth hormone and testosterone to help rebuild your system. These levels can be enhanced naturally to speed up your own bodies ability to recover quickly. A good in season training program should use some heavy load training to help speed recovery. Read this article to learn more about Boosting Your Own Testosterone and Growth Hormone.
5. Alignment and Flexibility Training – While pitching slowly destroys joint integrity it also can start to cause muscle dysfunction and skeletal alignment issues. A good in season training program should incorporate dynamic movements to help align the body while promoting full range of motion.

If you are looking for a good in season training program then I highly recommend that you follow these guidelines when searching for one and also stay toned by subscribing to topvelocity.net and we will alert you when the new 3X Pitching In Season Training Program is available.

Before I get into a good post game routine you need to understand what lactic acid is and why it is an issue in recovery.

Lactic Acid – During power exercises such as sprinting, when the rate of demand for energy is high, lactate is produced faster than the ability of the tissues to remove it, so lactate concentration begins to rise. This is a beneficial process, since the regeneration of NAD+ ensures that energy production is maintained and exercise can continue.

I don’t expect you to understand everything in this definition of lactic acid but it is important to know what is happening to your body during intense training or a game performance. Research has shown that lactic acid isn’t completely responsible for muscle fatigue and soreness. They have found that it actually is a fuel for muscles. I know what you are thinking, “That is odd! So how is it bad, if it is a fuel. That makes no sense.” This is because when your body produces lactic acid as a fuel for your muscles there is very little oxygen in the body.  This is a survival mechanism that gives you energy even when oxygen is low. The problem is the more the muscles fire on lactic acid, the more it burns off more of the oxygen and what happens when you start burning off oxygen, you get hydrogen as a waste product. Hydrogen is poison to our bodies. This is what will lower our ph levels and kills us eventually. The build up of hydrogen is the problem here and it is what causes muscles to shut down and fatigue. It also causes the burning sensation, which eventually leads total fatigue and soreness. The point is your body can continue to perform on lactic acid, the problem is this fuel causes more problems than the other forms of energy or ATP. So when I say you need to flush your system of lactic acid, you now know what I am talking about.

Now that you have a good understanding of lactic acid then you will also understand why the main part of a post game routine focuses on its removal from your system. Here is a good post game routine for a starter and a relief pitcher to begin immediately after the performance.

Post Game Pitching Recovery and Rebuilding Routine

1. Take a 5 min jog to keep the blood flowing while you take in some big deep breaths to flood the system with more oxygen.
2. Finish the jog with some good static stretching or yoga to help reestablish the alignment of the skeletal system while increasing blood flow along with the deep breaths.
3. Take an Alka Seltzer to reduce your body’s acidity levels and the aspirin in the Alka Seltzer will lend some pain relief.
4. Icing 10-15 mins on, 10-15 mins off and repeat.
5. Within 30-40 minutes have a high carbohydrate meal to help replace your glycogen stores.
6. Follow the carbohydrate meal will a protein shake to help your body begin the rebuilding process.
7. Drink a lot of water with a multi-vitamin.
8. Stay away from caffeine drinks and alcohol.
9. Icing 10-15 mins on, 10-15 mins off and repeat again if you have soreness or the sore muscle is hot.
10. Get a lot of sleep!
11. Next day hit the gym with a good warm-up and perform some high intensity lifts, low reps, on your legs and core. This will force your body to produce more testosterone and growth hormone to heal itself. The Recovery Week in the Fusion System which is in the Ace Pitcher Handbook would be a good next day program.

I know this is a long list to do post game but recovery is key in the higher levels of the game, so you better get good at it now!

To a scientist this is a “Duh” moment, but to most pitching coaches this is a “What?” moment.

There are not many pitching coaches who would agree with you if you switched the word velocity with speed when talking about pitching mechanics. This is because most of them do not have science degrees or are certified strength and conditioning specialist. Most of them would correlate speed with running and not throwing but in the world of science there isn’t much difference between the two.

To make my point more clear, who do you think moves faster in their sport and position, a marathon runner or a pitcher?

If you said marathon runner then welcome to TopVelocity.net. You need to download the Velocity Starter kit. If you said pitcher then I assume you have at least a beginners understanding of velocity. To make my point crystal clear, I will ask another question. If I was able to mimic Tim Lincecum of the Giants pitching mechanics perfectly, like a talented impressionist, and threw a pitch just like him but at a snails pace; would I throw as hard as him? The answer is No! I hope you just had a “Duh” moment. The answer is NO because velocity equals speed not perfect mechanics. Perfect mechanics is efficiency which supports speed by providing more focus energy to the ball.

Most everyone who plays baseball understands that to throw the ball faster we must move what is throwing the ball faster. The problem is conventional wisdom would say that this only happens with the arm and the strength and conditioning world would say you will get better results learning to move your entire body as a single unit faster. This is a “Duh” moment for me and I hope for you as well because once you learn how moving your entire body faster is so much more effective than just the arm, you will never go back to using just your arm. Not only does firing your muscles as fast as possible, through the kinetic chain of your skeletal structure, help with generating more velocity but it also distributes stress evenly through your muscular system, which prevents injury. The hard part is learning how to perform these mechanics perfectly and continuously. You can start by learning to impersonate efficient and explosive pitchers like Tim Lincecum and then using a fast twitch muscle fiber focuses strength and conditioning program like the “Fusion System” in the Ace Pitcher Handbook , to improve your speed.

Pathomechanics

Biomechanics of Elbow Injuries During Throwing

Elbow injuries in pitchers can be divided into three types, based upon their location within the joint. All three types of elbow injuries are related to the large rotational force – called “torque” – needed to slow down the cocking of the arm and accelerate the forearm, hand, and ball forward. Elbow torque is greatest when the arm is in its maximum cocked position.

Medial Elbow Injuries – The Ulnar Collateral Ligament

From the cocked position, the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) pulls the forearm forward with the rotating upper arm. The tremendous tension produced in the relatively small UCL is close to its limit. When improper mechanics are used or arm muscles become fatigued, the load placed on the UCL may be increased to more than it can withstand, causing small “micro”-tears in the UCL. Microtears in muscles or ligaments can heal when given enough recovery time. In fact, microtears during exercise followed by healing is how muscles become bigger and stronger. However, when a pitcher continues to tear his UCL without allowing enough time for it to heal, the microtears add up to be one large tear in the ligament. Pitchers with UCL injuries often describe feeling or hearing a “pop” in the elbow on one particular pitch. These types of stories lead many people to believe that a pitcher blows out his UCL on one bad pitch – such as the first pitch on a cold day or a poorly thrown breaking pitch. Really, this is usually not the case. Quite frequently the one bad pitch was really just “the straw that broke the camel’s back” and was the final microtear that led a series of microtears to become a large tear.

Lateral Elbow Injuries

At the same time the medial elbow is under tension, the lateral side of the elbow is compressed. The compression between the forearm’s bone (the radius) and the upper arm’s bone (the humerus) helps the forearm stop cocking back and start rotating forward. This large crushing force on tiny bone surfaces sometimes results in small bone chips breaking off. These bone chips float in the elbow joint and may result in pain, loss of elbow motion, and diminished pitching performance.

Posterior Elbow Injuries – “Valgus Extension Overload”

From the arm-cocked position, the arm rapidly rotates forward at the shoulder and straightens out at the elbow. The elbow straightens out so fast that it takes less than a tenth of a second (0.1 sec) to go from the 90-degree bent position to the nearly straight position at ball release. The combination of this rapid elbow extension and the large torque generated to rotate the arm forward can cause a grinding injury in the posterior-medial elbow (the “funny bone” area of the elbow). Small bone chips can break off and float in the elbow joint, which may result in pain, loss of motion, and diminished pitching performance.

Copyright © 2000, American Sports Medicine Institute
October 05, 2004

Stodden DF, Fleisig GS, McLean SP, Lyman SL, Andrews JR. Relationship of pelvis and upper torso kinematics to pitched baseball velocity. Journal of Applied Biomechanics 17(2):164-172, 2001.

Matsuo T, Escamilla RF, Fleisig GS, Barrentine SW, Andrews JF. Comparison of kinematic and temporal parameters between different pitch velocity groups. Journal of Applied Biomechanics 17(1): 1-13, 2001.

Stodden, DF, Fleisig, GS, McLean, SP, Andrews, JR. Relationship of Biomechanical Factors to Basebal Pitching Velocity: Within Pitcher Variation. Journal of Applied Biomechanics 21(1): 44-56, 2005

Methods

In three published studies, Dr. Glenn Fleisig and Dr. James R. Andrews from ASMI worked with other researchers in studying many of the parameters that affect baseball pitch velocity. Two of the studies looked between different pitchers and one study looked at variations within each pitcher. Motions during delivery were analyzed using a high speed (200 frames per second) infrared three-dimensional motion analysis system.

Results

In the study by Matsuo and others, pitchers with higher ball velocity were compared with pitchers with lower ball velocity. Four significant differences were found between these two groups. Compared to the low ball velocity group, the higher ball velocity pitchers demonstrated less lead knee flexion velocity after front foot contact and greater lead knee extension velocity at the time of ball release. Extending the lead knee in this manner may provide stabilization allowing better energy transfer from the trunk to the throwing arm, and could be a critical factor in pitch velocity. Maximum shoulder external rotation and forward trunk tilt at ball release were also greater in the higher velocity group. Greater shoulder external rotation causes a stretch of the internal rotators allowing energy to be stored in these muscles, and creating greater internal rotation during the arm acceleration phase.

Two variations were found in the timing of events. Maximum elbow extension angular velocity and maximum shoulder internal rotation angular velocity occurred earlier in the motion of higher velocity pitchers. The maximum shoulder internal rotation angular velocity also occurred closer to the moment of ball release in the higher velocity pitchers. This optimal timing may aid in generating higher velocity pitches.

Another finding of interest is that early in the pitching motion, the two groups were dissimilar in the timing of their movements, while their later movement timing was much more similar. This implies that early trunk and torso movements are more varied among pitchers than late arm movements.

In the first study by Stodden and others (2001), pelvis and upper torso variables were studied in 19 elite baseball pitchers. The study found that when the arm was completely cocked back (that is, maximum shoulder external rotation, or “MER”), more “open” pelvis and upper torso orientation correlated with increased ball velocity. More open pelvis angle at the time of ball release (REL) also correlated with increased pitch velocity increased. Additionally, pelvis angular velocity from front foot contact to MER, and upper torso angular velocity from MER to REL increased with increased velocity.

The data indicate that a pitcher who is able to position himself properly, and rotate his pelvis and upper torso more quickly is able to generate greater momentum. Theoretically, this increase in momentum leads to greater velocity of the throwing arm and thus greater pitch velocity.

The most recent study by Stodden and others (2005) showed that for a given pitcher, increased elbow flexion torque, shoulder proximal force and elbow proximal force produced greater ball velocity. In addition, the maximum shoulder horizontal adduction occurred later and maximum shoulder internal rotation occurred earlier at greater ball velocities. Higher ball velocity also resulted in decreased shoulder horizontal adduction at foot contact, decreased shoulder abduction during acceleration, and increased trunk tilt forward at ball release.

Conclusion

A pitcher with increased shoulder external rotation, faster pelvis and upper trunk rotation, and greater front knee stabilization and extension will throw with greater ball velocity. Improved timing to maximize arm velocity closer to the time of ball release will also help ball velocity. Increased torque and force produced at both the shoulder and elbow will also lead to greater ball velocity.

Copyright © 2000, American Sports Medicine Institute
December 18, 2007

http://www.asmi.org/asmiweb/research/usedarticles/highlowpitches.htm

The picture here of Roy Oswalt illustrates this optimal “Triple Extension” and “Separation.” Good separation from back hip to back shoulder builds torque in the core. An indication that a pitcher is developing that torque is noticeable in the twisting of the front of the jersey which is obvious in the picture of Oswalt. This is the most difficult position to master in the pitching delivery. It is a challenge to learn the muscle memory that allows the shoulders to stay back while the hips drive forward. The reason for the difficulty is that this requires a lot of core and leg strength. This is why I promote a very intense lifting program for pitchers that develops fast twitch muscle fibers and optimal core and leg strength. You will not master this position or this core torque until you are strong enough to achieve it.

Watch this video here or read my article on, “Olympic Lifting Increases Pitching Velocity” to learn more and purchase the “Ace Pitcher Handbook” to start the lifting program.

When body tissues are cooled, nerve cells in the chilled area initially force adjacent blood vessels to constrict, leading to a marked reduction in blood flow to that part of the body. However, if the temperature of the affected area continues to drop, nerve activity is depressed and the blood vessels begin to open up, flooding the injured tissues with blood, even though cold is still being applied. This flood-of-blood (Hunting effect) is the human body’s reflex reaction to thwart severe cold injury in a body part subjected to chilling stress.

Dr. Meeusen’s studies showed that icing initially stops the swelling and blood flow of the damaged blood vessels into the local muscle tissue but after a period of 10 minutes it can begin to have an opposite effect to the area. His documentation continues to state this damage continues on to another important system of healing.

Lymphatic Vessels: Prolonged ice application can cause lymphatic vessels (which ordinarily help carry excess tissue fluids back into the cardiovascular system) to increase in permeability. This causes large amounts of fluid to pour from the lymphatics “the wrong way” into the injured area, increasing local swelling and pressure, potentially contributing to greater pain. If icing goes on too long, the lymphatic vessels can actually be nearly obliterated, losing all of their fluid to surrounding tissues.

The lesson here is NOT that icing is bad. What we have learned is that icing is effective initially but begins to cause problems after about 10 minutes. Read the description below for the proper way to ice the arm after a game to help aid the healing process.

Ice the elbow or shoulder region for 10 minutes immediately after pitching (DO NOT PUT ICE ON ULNAR NEVER), remove the ice for about 30 minutes, and then reapply it for 10 additional minutes. Repeat this cycle of about two 10-minute icings per hour as often as desired, based on how many pitches thrown, during the first 24 to 48 hours after pitching.

I also recommend that you use a heavy bag of icing. A little bag of ice will not cool off the area enough. You can put a towel on your arm to prevent freezer burn but try to use a bag of ice that almost hurts it is so cold. I also recommend taking a cold shower instead of a warm or hot shower post game for the same healing benefits of icing.

This question can stir up a big argument but there is only one answer. The arm does not generate the velocity. It only guides the pitch. Therefore the arm must follow the body and does not come into play until the body has done its job.

I have been in many arguments about this issue. I have listened to coaches tell their pitchers that if they want to throw harder they need to speed up their arms. My question is how will speeding up your arm increase your velocity? This doesn’t make much sense because if you arm leads your body, it must leave the body behind. If you leave the body behind then it is up to the small muscles of the arm to take the entire workload of generating 90+ mph.

I think to prove my answer to the question above we must once again look at the little pitchers in the game. This is because these guys must work a lot harder to generate 90+ mph. I go once again to my favorite little man Tim Lincecum; 5’7 165 lbs. Notice the picture here of him at front foot strike. Now, where is his arm? It is hiding behind his body. YES, all you coaches out there who are coaching your pitchers to speed up there arms, it is behind his body. This means his body is driving the pitch. This means his body is generating the velocity. This means the arm is along for the ride.

The coaches who will argue my point here are the coaches who use giant pitchers like Randy Johnson as their example of pitchers who have a lot of arm action. This is true but these pitchers have more leverage on the ball than the average man. If you are 6’8 like Randy Johnson then congratulations you are in a small percentage of baseball players but if you are 6’2 and under take it easy on your arm and learn to work your body as a single unit in your delivery. When you work on generating velocity, work on pulling it from your legs and core and not your arm.

I recommend using medicine balls as often as you can. I have many throwing drills with these balls that force the pitcher to use every muscle they have to make the throw. This is how we must pitch if we want to throw and withstand 90+ mph.

The Ace Pitcher Handbook has a full medicine ball workout.